Press for molding soap and like plastic materials



July 5 1930. H. H. HENNEQUIN 1,770,646

PRESS FOR MOLDING SOAP AND LIKE PLASTIC MATERIALS Filed March 26, 1929 5Sheets-Sheet 1 e 1 1 v e-- 1:. t

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July 15, 1930. 1,770,646

PRESS FOR MOLDING son AND LIKE PLASTIC MATERIALS H. H. HENNEQUINFiled'uarch 26; 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 W2 %GW "8;? 1 1 44 July 15, 1930.-H. H. HENNEQUIN ,77

I PRESS FOR MOLDING SOAP AND LIKE PLASTIC. MATERIALS 7 Filed March 26,1929 s sheets-she t a LIIII Patented July 15, l fi HENRY HOLLANDHENNEQUIN, OF SEVEN KINGS, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO YARDLEY & COMPANY,LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND PRESE FOE MOLDING SOIL? AND LIKE PLASTICIMATERIALS Application filed March 26, 1929, Serial No. 350,065, and inGreat Britain January 31, 1929.

This invention relates to presses for molding soap and like plasticmaterials and/or impressing the makers name or trade-mark on othermatter t iereon, of the kind having a ram or plunger operated from afly-wheel mounted upon afioating spindle through the medium of suitablelinkage which connects the plunger and fly-wheel spindle and which isanchored at one part to the framework of the machine. Such presses ashitherto constructed have been operated by hand, the operator by meansof a suitable handle turning the fly-wheel to depress the ram or plungerso as to press the cake of soap or the like be tween suitable dies ormolds and the flywheel being suitably counterweighted so that it willautomatically return to its initial position.

The object of the present invention is to increase the output of pressesof the kind referred to and the invention consists in a press of thekind referred to combined with poweroperated means for the same. 7

The invention also consists in a press of the kind referred to having afriction wheel adapted to be driven from an electric motor or otherprime mover and which may be brought momentarily into contact with theperiphery of the fly-wheel (on depression of a treadle or operation of asuitable form of control member) to give the necessary impulse to thefly-wheel.

It will be understood that when the flywheel of the press of thecharacter in question is rotated the fly-wheel and its spindle are movedbodily (about the centre at which the linkwork is pivoted to the frameof the machine) and the invention therefore also consists in providing acam' surface on the periphery of the fly-wheel to compensate for thismovement so that there will be no bind ing or braking action between thefly-.wheel and its operative friction wheel.

Further features of the invention will be apparent from the descriptiongiven hereafter.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one convenient form of press inaccordance with the invention.

Figure 1 is an elevation showing more or less diagrammatically thecomplete machine.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the actual press portion of the machineillustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view looking towards Figure 2 from the left-hand side,While Figure 4c is a View looking towards Figure 2 from the right-handside.

In carrying my invention into effect in one convenient manner I form myimproved press somewhat on the lines of the usual construction ofhand-operated presses of the kind referred to, that is to say, I providea frame or support a to which is pivoted at b a link member I) carryingthe spindle 0 of the fly-wheel (Z to which spindle there is secured asuitable link member e carrying a pin e working in a slot f in the upperpart of the ram or plunger f, it being understood that the ram andbed-plate of the machine may carry suitable dies or molds adapted tosuit the nature of the material being operated upon, the shape and sizeof finished mold ing or pressing, and any particular markings that itmay be required to impress thereon.

It will be seen from Figures 1 to 4 that for purposes of symmetry thefly-wheels and linkages are duplicated although they have been describedabove as in the singular, it being understood that the duplication ispreferred though not essential.

The mold or die parts (not shown) are carried by the ram and bed-platerespectively and when it is desired that the press shall be capable ofdealing with straight sided tablets, the ram may also carry rods 9 whichare adapted to support the collar or ring of the molds and which may beguided in the guide members g Such collar or ring is bolted on to thelower ends of the rods 9 and has a sliding action'over the top andbottom parts of the mold so as'to shear off the sur plus material,leaving a clean pressed straight side to the tablet. The rods 9 may beadjustable in position in the ram or plunger which is guided or anyother suitable means may be adopted to permit of the rotary motion ofthe fly-wheel being converted into rectilinear movement of the ram orplunger.

For the purpose of enabling the press to be power-operated, I provide inassociation with one or each fly-wheel, a friction wheel 2', the surfaceof which may, if necessary or desirable, be covered with any suitablefriction material, which friction wheel is arranged to be driven from anelectric motor by belt and pulley mechanism or from any other suitableform of transmission mechanism. The friction wheel and its spindle andbearings are carried upon a movable bracket Z which may be controlled bythe spring m and may be adapted to be moved on the depression of thetreadle n by means of an adjustable link member 0 although it will beclear that such details are to be considered as given for the purpose ofillustration and not of limitation since the sole object is to enablethe friction wheel to be brought into contact with its appropriatefly-wheel and any other operative or control member with any otherintervening mechanism may equally well be employed for the purpose. Thearrangement is such that upon depression of the treadle n the rapidlyrotating friction wheel is momentarily brought into contact with theperiphery of the flywheel so as to impart the necessary impulse theretoin the proper direction for depression of the plunger, the direction ofrotation of the friction wheel being suitably chosen for the purpose. Asabove indicated, however, and as will be evident from the two positionsof the apparatus shewn in Figure 2, rotation of the flywheel will causea bodily movement of the fly-wheel and of its spindle in a directionaway from the ram or plunger, and unless suitable means were adopted tocompensate for this movement there would necessarily be a binding orbraking action between the flywheel and friction wheel which wouldentirely defeat the object of the latter. In the particular exampleillustrated this diiflculty is obviated by forming upon the periphery ofthe fly-wheel acam surface d which is so chosen that as the fly-wheelrevolves so the cam surface recedes from the friction wheel in order tocompensate for the bodily movement of the fly-wheel towards the frictionwheel and thus maintain the frictional contact between the fly-wheel andfriction wheel substantially constant during the time that such partsare actually in contact.

Alternatively, I may provide suitable means for moving the frictionwheel or enabling the same to be moved automatically so as to follow themovement of the fly-wheel for the purpose of maintaining the contactpressure between the two substantially constant.

In view of the fact that the machine is thus arranged to bepower-operated it is preferred to provide the machine with some suitableform of hand-guard in order to protect the hands of the operator fromdamage when inserting fresh tablets into the machine or otherwiseattending to the same, and any of the existing forms of hand-guard maybe adopted for this purpose, a suitable construction of scissors-guardbeing indicated at p in Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

If required any suitable form of conveyor mechanism may be provided inconjunction with the apparatus for the purpose of feeding the materialto and/or from the machine and an adjustable seat Q may be provided forthe operator.

It will be understood that by means of my improved power mechanism forpresses of the kind in question the output of such presses will beenormously increased as compared with the output of the same press whenhandoperated, and I may vary the actual construc tion and arrangement ofpress, the means adopted to bring the power device into operation andthe nature or construction of such power device depending upon anyparticular practical requirements that may have to be fulfilled.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A press comprising a plunger, a floatingfly-wheel for operating said plunger and power means for actuating saidfly-wheel.

2. A press comprising a plunger, a floating fly-wheel for operating saidplunger, linkwork connecting said fly-wheel and said plunger and powermeans for actuating said flywheel.

3. A press comprising a plunger, a floating fly-wheel for operating saidplunger and power-operated friction means for actuating said fly-wheel.

4;. A press comprising a plunger, 2. floating fly-wheel for operatingsaid plunger, a continuously rotatable friction wheel and means formomentarily bringing said friction wheel into contact with the peripheryof the flywheel for the purpose of actuating the same.

5. A press according to claim 4 having means for maintainingsubstantially constant the pressure between the friction wheel andfly-wheel during the time that the two are in contact.

6. A press according to claim 4 having upon the periphery of thefly-wheel a cam surface which during rotation of the flywheel recedesfrom the friction wheel as the fly-wheel itself is moved towards thefriction wheel in order to maintain the contact pres sure between thefly-wheel and friction wheel substantially constant.

7. A press comprising a framework, a plunger slidable in relation tosaid framework, a link pivoted at one end to said framework, a spindlecarried at the other end of said link and carrying a fly-wheel, a linkconnecting said fly-wheel spindle and said plunger and power means foractuating said fly-wheel.

8. A press comprising a framework, a plunger slidable in relation tosaid framework, a link pivoted at one end to said framework, a spindlecarried at the other end of said link and carrying a fly-wheel, a linkconnecting said fly-wheel spindle and said plunger and power-operatedfriction means for actuating said fly-wheel.

9. A press according to claim 8 having means for maintainingsubstantially constant the pressure between the friction wheel andfly-wheel during the time that the two are in contact.

10. A press according to claim 8 having upon the periphery of thefly-wheel a cam surface which during rotation ofthe flywheel recedesfrom the friction wheel as the fly-wheel itself is moved towards thefriction wheel in order to maintain the contact pressure between thefiy-wheel and friction wheel substantially constant.

11. A press according to claim 8 having a spring-controlled bracketcarrying said friction wheel and footor hand-operated means for movingthe bracket against its spring in order to bring the friction wheel intocontact with the periphery of the fly-wheel.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HENRY HOLLAND HENNEQUIN.

